News and Events
Ready for Worship
Church opens after a stranger becomes a supporter.
By Beth Pratt
An angel from North Country, Alaska, to be exact, has helped Gladys Smith build her dream to be a pastor of her own church.
“He is my guardian angel,” Smith said of Miller, “I don’t have the vocabulary to tell Jesus thank you for the flood of unexplained miracles.”
Quoting from Jesus in John 10:10, she spoke of the dark days she was experiencing when Miller crossed her path one day: “The thief comes to steal, and kill, and destroy. I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly."
Solving Problems
On April 1, 2006, Smith had an eviction notice to vacate her house by April 25 because she had missed 4 payments. On April 13, 2006, a stranger stopped her and asked her where to find a post office and a place to eat. She helped the stranger find what he needed. Over lunch at Furr’s Cafeteria, she told him about her dream for a church and about her troubles. Miller, who had traveled that day from Amarillo to Lubbock for medical treatment, asked her what it would take to solve her house problem.
She told him the amount of payments she owed, and asked her if that would really solve the problem. She admitted that it was likely she would get behind again. So he asked what it would take to pay off the house.
“I was trying to put food in my mouth, and I said. ‘Sir you don’t know me,’” Smith said, “And he said, ‘You aren’t going nowhere. I’m going to talk to the owner. Where is he?’ I had no idea.”
But she did know the lawyer who handled the loan, so they went to see the lawyer. Miller paid the house off on April 17. “My angel showed,” Smith said, “I thought it was a loan, but he told the lawyer to put it in my name.”
Later, Miller learned Smith was paying 14 percent interest on 1976 Pontiac and he told her to return it and asked her what kind of car she wanted.
“I said I wanted a Mercedes Benz," and he said, "Gods going to get you one.”
Miller bought her a Mercedes, and he didn’t stop there. “Mr. Miller helped finance the church,” Smith said, ticking off the cost of the rent and equipment, which includes a Piano, drums, a pulpit, furnished communion table, sound system and comfortable chairs covered in maroon fabrics. “I had the vision and he’s the founder and church greeter.” Smith said.
The Guardian Angel
The angel from the North, what is his story? Why would he take up this cause?
Miller lived in Alaska for 39 years. His wife died four years ago and he sold their house. His brothers and two sisters are all dead. Only one of his three sisters is living, and she moved to Utah to be near her son.
When he went to visit his sister, he attended a small Baptist church and heard the pastor tell the few people gathered that he was going to build a supernatural church behind the little building.
“I laughed thinking that was impossible,” Miller said. “After all, that is Mormon country.” When he returned to Utah a year later, “I was shocked,” he said.
The church had been built and had 500 people in attendance. Miller, on his way back to Lubbock in 2007, called Smith and told her about the spiritual earthquake he had seen in Utah. “I’m going to start a church,” he told Smith. “Tell me about that vision again. I’ve got the money and I’m not going to give it to you, but to the Lord. Let’s go look for a building.”
Ready for Worship
Her mother, the late Essie Mae Lewis, was the first fan of her preaching. Several times, Smith had tried to get a building and start a church. More than 10 years ago, she was featured in The Avalanche Journal with a building she had been promised but that needed a total clean-up and remodeling, beyond her ability.
Now, she has a building ready and waiting for the people to come. Cliff Holdridge, an intern with the Texas Tech Wesley Foundation, and two friends were eating at a Mexican food restaurant in Freedom Mall and decided to stop in at Eternal Crown of Life Church for the nightly revival service.
“We thought it would be interesting to check out,” he said. “We prayed for them and encouraged them to continue. I’ve gone over and been on the radio several times with Gladys. I think she’s pretty good. I don’t know if she has anybody coming, but she’s really friendly, really nice and she seems sincere.”
Miller attends Trinity Church and it’s Prime Timers group.
“She can preach and I thought, Lubbock needed to hear her,” Miller said. “We have not had much response yet and I’ve wondered about it. I know it will turn around. I used to be nervous, but you could set off a bomb now and I wouldn’t jump."
“I asked God what I could do, and I asked for a church. So be careful what you ask for, you could get it.”
Miller said he misses many friends in Alaska, but he doesn’t miss the winters there.
Smith is not giving up. To possible donors, she said the church would accept any donations up to $100,000 by Dec 31 through April 15th before the tax man gets it. Wednesday evening worship service 7:00pm to 9:00pm Sunday morning worship service 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM Sunday evening worship service 7:00pm to 9:00pm. “We’ve come a long journey,” she said. “My hearts desire is I hope God tells me and D (Miller), ‘Well done, good and faithful servants.’”
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